Elevating device



E. T. TODD ET AL ELEVATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 inZ'Zdd Eda 0d. 8, 1946 11 TOD 2,217,352

ELEVATING- DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 duh-1120161filazzal 6'. fielaled Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES ELEVATINGDEVICE Edwin T. Todd and Roland G. Wilsted, Grand Rapids, Mich.,assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., acorporation of New Jersey Application February 9, 1939, Serial No.255,487

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to elevating devices and more particularlyto foot rests for chairs of a character particularly adapted forinstallation in motor buses, railway coaches and airplanes.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide anadjustable foot rest which is especially well adapted for use withchairs of the character shown in the co-pending applications forpatents, Serial Nos. 253,063 and 254,357, respectively, filed January 27and February 3, 1939; to provide such a foot rest which is pedallyadjustable as to height; and, to provide such a foot rest which isconvenient in use, simplein construction, efiicient in operation andeconomical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a chair of the character aboveindicated and showing in full lines the foot rest in one of its adjustedpositions and in dotted lines the foot rest is shown in another of itsadjusted positions;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a pair of such chairsdisposed side by side and each provided with a foot rest pivotallysuspended from the chair frame beneath each seat and its back;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 5 butshowing the foot rest adjusting mechanism in another position; and

Figure 7 is another sectional view showing the foot rest adjustingmechanism in still another position.

Referring then to the drawings wherein like parts of the chair structureshown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, theframe thereof is here shown as comprising a pair of spaced horizontallydisposed members III, II of tubular stock to provide for strength andrigidity at light weight.

The frame members I0, I I are spacedly supported above the floor byfront legs l2 and rear legs I3, likewise of tubular stock and securednear the ends of the front and rear members I0, I A pair of spacedtransversely disposed members l4, preferably of stamped sheet metal, areeach secured to a front frame member HI and to a rear frame member H attheir respective ends and in any suitable manner, the member I4 on theaisle side of the structure supporting the upholstered arm rest l5 ofthe chair to which it is fixed.

Upholstered backs I6 having head rests ll are each secured in anysuitable manner between their back supports i8 and upholstered seats l9are carried by the front and rear frame members H), II to which they arefixed in any convenient way.

A foot rest for the occupant of a chair seated rearwardly of one of thedual chairs shown comprises the horizontally disposed hangar 20 whoseoppositely disposed ends are each provided with a transverselydisposeddisc portion 2|, 22 seated within a circular bearing recess or well 23within the inner face of vertically disposed castings 24 securedrearwardly of each rear member The disc portion 2| is provided with aplurality of ratchet teeth 25 along a portion of its periphery and apawl 26 pivotally suspended from a boss 2'! on the casting 24 isnormally actuated into engagement with the ratchet teeth 25 by thetension spring 28 and as best shown in Figure 5.

An arm .29 is pivotally supported at one end within the trough 39integrally formed with the casting 24 and the free end of the arm isadapted to engage with the inner side of the pawl 26 adjacent itsratchet tooth engaging end for the purpose of effecting disengagement ofthe pawl from its ratchet teeth and as best shown in Figures 6 and '7.

A pair of spaced pins 3|, 32 project outwardly from the face of the disc2|, one at each end of the ratchet toothed portion thereof and each pinis adapted to engage an opposite side of the arm 29 during oppositerotary movements of the toothed disc, all as shown in Figures 5 and 6,permitting engagement of the pawl 26 with the ratchet teeth 25 when thetoothed disc 2| is rotated in one direction and effecting disengagementof the pawl from the ratchet teeth when the disc is rotated in theopposite direction.

Operation In operation, when it is desired to elevate the foot .rest 20from its position shown in full lines in Figure 1 to its position shownin dotted lines in the same view, or to a selected positiontherebetween, the hangar may be pedally lifted from its position shownin Figure 5 to any position short of the position of the foot rest as itis shown in Figure 6. During this elevational movement of the hangar,the toothed disc 2| is caused to be rotated in the direction of thearrow, permitting the pawl 26 to engage with one of the ratchet teeth25. The arm 29 is of such length and angular disposition that after pin32 has been moved out of engagement therewith, said arm 29 bears looselyagainst the pawl 26 and oscillates with said pawl as the same rides overthe ratchet teeth 25. V I

Continued lifting of the foot rest to its position shown in Figure 6,causes the pin 3| to engage the arm 29 whose free end is caused toforcibly engage the side of the pawl 26 near its ratchet tooth engagingend which engagement effects a disengagement of the spring actuated pawl26 from the ratchet teeth 25. j

The foot rest is then permitted to fall from its position shown inFigure 6, through its position shown in Figure 7 to its position shownin Figure 5 where the pin 32 is caused to move the frictionally pivotedarm 29 to the position there shown and in which position the foot restmay again be adjustably fixed as to height since the pawl is again freeto be caused to selectively engage with one of the ratchet teeth.

It will thus be seen that the foot rest herein shown and described isreadily pedally adjustable as to height, is convenient in use and issimple in construction and while but one specific embodiment of theinvention has been herein shown and described, it will be understoodthat certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omittedwithout departing from the spirit of this invention as the same isdefined by the following claims.

I a We claim;

1. A chair frame having a pair of spaced vertically disposed sideportions, each provided with a circular recess within its inner face andforming a disc bearing, a foot rest disposed transversely between theframe side portions comprising a hangar whose opposite ends are eachprovided with a transversely disposed disc portion seated within acircular recess, one of said discs having a plurality of ratchet teethalong a portion of its periphery, a spring actuated pawl pivotallymounted on the frame adapted to normally engage with said ratchet teeth,an arm pivotally supported on the frame whose free end is adapted toengage the pawl, and a pair of spaced pins projecting from the face ofdisc, each adapted to engage an opposite side of the arm during rotarymovements of the toothed disc, permitting engagement of the pawl withsaid ratchet teeth when the disc is rotated in one direction andeffecting disengagement of the pawl from said ratchet teeth when thedisc is rotated in the opposite direction.

2. A chair frame having a pair of spaced vertically disposed sideportions each provided with a bearing, a foot rest having its oppositeends turnably disposed in said bearings respectively and provided at oneend thereof with a trans versely disposed disc having a plurality ofratchet teeth along a portion of its periphery, a spring actuated pawlpivotally mounted on the frame adapted to normally engage with saidratchet teeth, an arm pivotally supported on the frame whose free end isadapted to engage the pawl, and a pair of spaced pins projecting fromthe face of the disc, one of said pins being adapted to engage said armduring turning movement of the disc in one direction for moving the armintoengagement with the pawl and the pawl out of engagement with theratchet teeth, and the other of said pins being adapted toengage saidarm during turning movement of the disc in the

